Washington D.C.’s City Council voted Tuesday to decriminalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana, scaling back penalties for the drug in the nation’s capital at a time when states are increasingly doing the same despite wariness from the federal government.

Mayor Vincent Gray has publicly supported the measure and is expected to sign it shortly.

Currently, possession of any amount of pot could land a person in jail for up to six months, with a fine of up to $1,000. Tuesday’s measure reduces the maximum penalty to a $25 civil fine, similar to a parking ticket. Smoking pot in public is still a crime under the new legislation after the measure was watered down at the last minute.

Washington, D.C., currently has the highest arrest rate in the country for marijuana possession and 91 percent of arrests for pot in the district are of black people, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.

After the 11-to-1 vote, D.C. joins 16 states that have decriminalized possession of the drug, according to the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws.

It seems that times are changing. I'm glad to see that marijuana no longer carries jail sentences in D.C. I don't know how accurate the source is, but if 91% if marijuana arrests are black people, then the previous system was broken. With 25$ fines, it will discourage people from smoking in public, while allowing for people to enjoy it without serious reprecussions. It's a win-win scenario, and I only hope that this type of legislation comes to Georgia, and the rest of our great country. Sadly, we are going to be one of the last states to move forward on this issue.

As an American- I am tired of the cry about wasteful spending and seeing initiatives- like the war on drugs, cost us billions. The really bad part is - it is a process for all levels that's seems to never end. I am not a smoker, but support legalization in every way possible. Its only fair- if one man can enjoy a few beers after work, I don't see no bigger deal in letting this other guy enjoy him a few joints in his down time. (They already are, time to get that money back in our economy.) Life is too damn short, anyways...why deny humans the few little pleasures they have? Or even worse- try to persecute and punish them for seeking out a substance that has become culturally accepted as alcohol? Good move by our nations capitol, hope the rest of the country- follows this wise decision.

Yet, that same ounce of pot produced $300-$400 profit for criminal drug dealers and zero tax revenue for the government. Republicans should recall that FDR won four terms after ending prohibition. I'm not sure that was as helpful as getting the Communist Party USA's endorsement, contributions and support (a fact conveniently edited out of most K-12 history books).

Why is this assimilation (I.e. turning into a brown mixture of this and that) in ALL White countries and ONLY White countries so important to you?

Why do you anti-Whites never talk about flooding Africa with millions of non-Blacks and assimilating them into the Black population to "end hate", or to "make it more diverse", or to "end racism", or to "have a perfect harmony", or some other lame excuse?

As an anti-White, do you agree White countries should be permitted to say no to mass immigration and "assimilation" without being call NAZIWHOWANTSTOKILLSIXMILLIONJEWS like all the non-White countries are permitted?

@JohnHicks55 Probably because when white people flood africa with millions of non-Blacks, they historically tend to impose things like Apartheid. Remember that? But it's ok. South Africa has moved passed the hatred of Apartheid in an effort to end hate and make it more diverse. Also, what's this even have to do with Washington DC decriminalizing pot?

@wrathbrow - You are forced to seek out criminal drug dealers, you know, like some of those people your school children know. Best place to buy drugs appears to be students. My son's friends mother discovered a years texts, that included transactions and even pictures of pot. The dealers were other kids and the pot pictures looked like a High Times gallery, except for the children in them.

@jcq707@Openminded1 I agree as a retired policemen I never arrested anyone in 30 years for smoking a joint, it was a waste of time. If they had mass quantity that was something different.. Dealers and distribution was a great felony arrest and put dealers off the streets so another guy can take over revolving door that never stopped. The best thing this country can do reference weed is legalize it. Not my cup of tea but also not worth crowding jails with pot heads either.